In a recent interview Michael Horton made the point that modern evangelical Christianity often uses as a key ethical principle “What would Jesus do?” He sees this as a disturbing movement away from the Gospel’s focus on what Jesus has done for us.
My mind immediately flicked to Romans, where there is tremendous stress, often much underestimated, on the way in which the Image of God has been perverted (Romans 1 - the essence of idolatry), resulting in people “lacking” (not ”falling short”) the glory of God (3:23 // 1:23) and the way in which that image is restored as we conformed to the likeness of Christ (8:29; I would argue the whole of Romans 8 is about Image-transformation). When Paul urges us not to be conformed to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewal of our minds he is again fundamentally concerned with the restoration of the Image, as matched by his exhortation to clothe ourselves with Jesus (13:14). Then comes Romans 14-15, with great stress on being like God and being like Jesus. But it is fascinating to see how Paul speaks of this:
- “Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats [talking about differences among Christians as to what it is legitimate to eat or not eat], for God HAS WELCOMED him” (14:3; note the past tense). That is, treat the other Christian as God has already done. This is also the foundation on which verse 4 is built, namely it is not for us “to pass judgment on the servant of another.” Since God has already welcomed him we can be sure “he will be upheld.” When did this welcoming by God take place? Presumably, in the context of the letter, in connection with Christ’s death and resurrection.
- “By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ DIED” (14:15). There’s the past tense again.
- “Let each of us please his neighbour for his good, to build him up. For Christ DID NOT PLEASE himself, but as it is written, ‘The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me’” (15:2-3). There’s the past tense yet again and, yes, yet again it is the passion, especially the death of Christ, that is especially in mind.
- “Therefore welcome one another as Christ HAS WELCOMED you, for the glory of God” (15:7). Past tense yet again and, clearly following on from verses 2-3, confirms our conclusion regarding 14:3 (when did God welcome us?), that is, we have been welcomed in connection with Christ’s work on the cross.
Isn’t this interesting? Modern evangelical Christians when faced with ethical decisions like to chant the mantra, “What would Jesus do?” Evangelical Christians who act on this basis often end up rationalising the moralistic, therapeutic deism which really lies at the heart of their worldview. “What would Jesus do?” is prone to be moralistic because my concern effectively is with behaving like a good person would. “What would Jesus do?” tends towards being therapeutic because I am likely to choose a course of action that helps me to feel good about the way I am living the Christian life (”I really am trying to follow in Jesus’ footsteps!”). “What would Jesus do?” leans towards deism because we tend to only invoke this question at critical junctures in our lives, thereby implying that God is not really that involved in our lives at other times.
Paul is intently concerned with being Christlike. Yet for him the key consideration is not one of trying to put ourselves into Jesus’ shoes and trying to second-guess how Jesus would think about this situation or that. No! For him what matters is coming to grips with the significance, the meaning and full implications of what Jesus has already done, especially on the cross. It is this which will enable me to respond to situations and relationships in a Christlike way. “What did Jesus do?” is not moralistic, because it underscores the wonder of God’s grace and love extended to me and moves me to continue to live under such grace and love in all I think, say and do. “What did Jesus do?” is not therapeutic because it will lead me, as I appeciate the depth of Christ’s sacrificial love, to be a person characterised by this same sacrificial love. “What did Jesus do?” is not deistic because the reality of what Jesus did on the cross impacts every area of my life, not only critical ethical decisions, not merely what I do, but also what I am failing to do, along with all I say and fail to say and all I think and fail to think.
So, indeed, may it be our heart’s longing to be more like Jesus. But may this lead us to ask not so much “What would Jesus do?” but “What did Jesus do”?
www.facetofaceintercultural.com.au
Posted October 29, 2009
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